Richardson relishes role as first mate
New Islanders Assistant Coach Eager to Form Bond with Players
Tough love appears to be the modus operandi for newly named New York Islanders assistant coach Luke Richardson.
Hired last week to be head coach Doug Weight’s first mate on the bench, the former veteran defenseman brings 21 years of experience on the ice and six years of mentoring players to his new post.
In a recent interview on the team’s website (newyorkislanders.com), Richardson spoke about the nuances of his role as both motivator and critic to his new charges.
“There’s a mixture of old-school and new-school,” said the 48-year-old Ottawa native, who spent the better part of five seasons skating alongside his new boss in Edmonton during the 1990s.